California Campaign Highlights Roadside Risks for Utility Crews -- Occupational Health & Safety

Worker wearing a hard hat and reflective vest holds a stop sign beside utility trucks in a roadside work zone.

California Campaign Highlights Roadside Risks for Utility Crews

Drivers can help protect utility workers by reducing speed, changing lanes when safe and staying alert near roadside operations.

By Chelsey Arries
Nov 04, 2026

Utility recovery crews face risks from passing traffic, prompting California agencies to urge motorists to give roadside workers room during Crash Responder Safety Week.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and its partners include utility recovery teams among the workers the campaign aims to protect.

Caltrans highlighted California’s expanded move-over law, which requires motorists to change lanes, reduce speed or both when approaching stopped roadside vehicles displaying hazard lights or warnings such as cones or flares.

The agencies urged drivers to remain attentive near roadside operations. The release identifies distraction, speeding, impaired driving and road rage as dangers to people working alongside traffic.

About the Author

Chelsey Arries is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.

Product Showcase

Featured

Respiratory Protection in Transition: What OSHA's Proposed Changes Mean

OSHA's proposal to drop required medical evaluations for N95 and loose-fitting PAPR users could ease paperwork, but it also raises questions about screening, program consistency and worker health. Read Now
Get a Grip: How Footwear Tread Powers Pushing, Pulling and Reaching

Good shoe tread does more than prevent slips. It gives workers the grip they need to push carts, pull loads and reach safely without losing their footing. Read Now
What Safety Experts Should Prioritize in Fire Safety Outreach This Year

Lithium-ion battery hazards, hands-on extinguisher practice and recurring storage and hot work violations deserve attention for the rest of 2026. Read Now
The Hidden Hazard in Every Incident Response: The Search Itself

Before a crew can fix a problem, someone has to find it. That search window holds unmanaged risk, and the utility industry may have found the solution to close it. Read Now
Friday New Product Roundup: October 23

New safety offerings span impact gloves, winter gear, connected gas detection, fire suppression services and protective fabrics. Read Now
The Technician Shortage Crisis: How Workforce Gaps Impact Workplace Safety

A shrinking pool of skilled technicians is leading to deferred maintenance, less supervised repairs and weaker lockout/tagout and recordkeeping practices, raising both injury and compliance risks. Read Now

Artificial Intelligence

Survey Reveals Gaps in Workplace Hazard Reporting
Industrial respondents report low participation, while EHS software users cite higher reporting rates.
Boost Safety Training Completion with AI
Most missed training deadlines come down to communication, not content. Here's how AI can target reminders, track completion lag and keep people in charge of competency decisions.
Why Hands-On Training Still Matters in a Digital Age
VR, AR and AI can expand training opportunities, but physical practice remains essential when workers must handle equipment, coordinate with teams and perform correctly in high-risk situations.
Survey Links Unverified AI Guidance to Higher Regulatory Fines
Respondents linked unchecked AI output to incorrect filings, missed deadlines and failed audits, and teams that put sensitive data into personal AI tools reported problems far more often.
ASSP Survey Finds AI Adoption Growing in Workplace Safety
AI use in workplace safety is growing, but investment, data quality and organizational challenges remain barriers.